Oregano, also called wild marjoram, is a member of the mint family and is closely related to marjoram, which Ibn al-Qayyim described in his Prophetic Medicine as having benefits for headaches, inflammations and pain relief.

Oregano is available in its fresh or dried forms, although the fresh leaves are superior in flavor and have more beneficial effects than dried.

Oregano contains important phenolic acids that have strong free radical-scavenging activity, which can help prevent certain types of cancers from forming. Indian oregano was shown to have protective properties against radiation-induced DNA damage in an animal study/

In a cell study, oreganooil caused damage to E. coli bacteria within one minute. Oregano was found in another study to cause irreparable damage to Giardia lamblia, a nasty little parasite that causes diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Ulcers

Combining cranberry extract and oregano extract was more effective in killing h.pylori than either cranberry or oregano extract alone. Researchers believe that therein lies a synergistic effect of oregano and cranberry phenolics, illustrating the benefits of combining certain foods.

Tips for Using Oregano

Dried oregano is a kitchen essential, but ensure you replace it frequently, because it quickly loses its pungency.